Since she first opened a DAW, 29-year-old Piper Hewitt-Dudding, aka Dilemma, has seen support from all corners of drum and bass. She brings fresh musicality and versatile production with a unique tone. Her sound is instantly recognisable and with each new release she continues her upward curve in the scene.

Dilemma has released on labels ranging from Lifestyle Music all the way to Flight Pattern. Her journey started on Skankandbass’ free download series with ‘Binary/Circumspect’ - the latter track gained airtime on Friction’s BBC Radio One show and the release itself garnered support from the likes of Calibre, DLR, Mistanoize and many more. Since her debut, Dilemma has found herself most at home on Pola & Bryson’s Soulvent Records, having most recently released the four-track stunner Exit Stage Left, which saw support from LTJ Bukem, London Elektricity and S.P.Y among others. The title track saw a feature on bass music giant UKF’s YouTube channel, as well as its Spotify playlists - the track now has a combined 700,000 streams. 

A particular love for liquid and techy, rolling drum and bass is evident in Dilemma’s productions. However, she draws inspiration from an array of different genres ranging from grunge to hip hop, industrial to psychedelic rock. As a result, her productions have a rare and infectious musicality to them, seizing ideas from a diverse pool of genres into a new, drum and bass context. This, paired with an earthy tone and love of early 2000’s liquid, means Dilemma’s productions continue to surprise even the keenest listener.

Dilemma’s work has seen support from around the world as well as the UK, with her productions having airtime on BBC Radio 1, Bassdrive and Rough Tempo to name a few, as well as inclusions on the revered Drum&BassArena yearly compilations in both 2018 and 2019. With historical support from Random Movement, BCee, Skankandbass and Soulvent Records, the list of DJs rolling out Dilemma tracks in the rave is only getting bigger.

Pre-Covid, Dilemma was making moves in the Let It Roll and Hospitality circles, appearing on the main stage of the 2019 iteration of Hospitality on the Beach in Croatia, and Let It Roll’s sold out UK and Prague events. Alongside this, she made her sophomore appearance at the legendary fabric in early 2020 and was part of UKF’s 10-year celebrations in south east London’s Studio 338, later returning to its main stage for Hospitality BBQ.

The last year has seen Dilemma continuing on her Hospitality streak at Motion Bristol, Concorde 2 Brighton, Hospitality Weekend in the Woods, and the Albanian iteration of Hospitality on the Beach. She has also showcased her varied DJing style at Worried About Henry’s O2 Academy Leeds event, enjoyed a prime-time spot celebrating 20 Years of Critical Music at Motion, set the stage for Fabio & Grooverider at Chase & Status’ RTRNIIDNCE festival, and made her Netherlands debut at liquid giant Liquicity’s Springfestival.

With many more bookings on the way including a return to Liquicity in the summer, Dilemma is sure to continue her upward curve, with many respected eyes watching this budding artist.

Bookings: andy@aptitudetalent.co.uk
Enquiries: piper@dilemmadnb.co.uk

There have been lots of seasons...the one where I wrote lots but was too afraid to perform.  The one when I wrote lots but didn't have permission to perform.  The one where I wrote to help me find sanity. The one where I wrote to find myself again.  The one where I wrote and performed with other people and fell in love.  The one where I released lots of music.  The one where I wrote lots but life was busy and my priorities changed.  Right now I'm writing lots and finding a way back to music. Join me?

Reviews:

Next up (and bringing an enthusiastic crowd of fans), street poet and all round local legend Barnesy. He's got a nice knack of combining a sort of high speed, rap tinged vocal delivery with a surprisingly soulful voice on tracks like Estates Are In A State (his best song so far in my humble opinion and well worth a listen), a Gil Scott Heron of the Midlands if you like. And I do. (NB: the more I listen to this track the more I love it...this is seriously good stuff...) HEARING AIDE BLOGSPOT

Cockshure Kinksy-ness from bluesy bawler Barnesy is something worth noting. With both respect and disregard for the Queens English in equal measure, young Tom Barnes spins yarns of rationale beyond his years and an inquisitive eye for decadence. 'Estates in a State' is a Dylan-meets-Jamie T ramble with the haunting darkness of Johnny Cash. THE FLY

Barnsey is a Birmingham based acoustic solo artist whose fast paced delivery is a treatise on what has gone awry in our streets and hearts. He delivers a frustrated word spew at supersonic speeds that burns into our ears. He’s a poet of the British estates, a voice in the dark when The Flapper lights dip and leave him in the black and smoke. The future IS bright, when this is the kind of perfectly blended guitar and sharp, far reaching words that can speak for us. BLUE WHALE

Something of a local hero (there’s always an appreciative crowd at his gigs) he brings a touch of Ray Davies, a little Weller cool and (for the yoot) that easy street kind of style of singing that Jamie T’s trademarked. Standout track ‘Estates in a State’ is as good an encapsulation of what’s gone tits up in this country as you’re as likely to hear these days but, to be honest, there wasn’t a duff track in the whole set. It’s enough to give singer / songwriters a good name. GIG JUNKIES

He has the wry cynicism of Ray Davies thrown in with the bantering honesty of Jamie T, forming blunt and confrontational narratives of disillusionment backed by bluesy jazz chord progressions and accented with fancy work on his fretboard. His smokey, folky 5am comedown music has touches of Leonard Cohen’s stripped back, black humoured finger pointing that can be imagined decorating some hazy bordello before the whiskey hangover kicks in and the sleep deprivation starts to singe. BLUE WHALE

Prhyme Meridian is first and foremost a lyricist you can relate to. Born in the UK and raisedin the sunshine of Southern California, his roots and influences have shaped the laid back style and approach to his music that in turn keep him grounded and philosophical about life and his music. Always looking to ask questions of what most of us settle for as fact, and contemplate the ironies of our way of life as a species, the lyrics Prhyme delivers in his work engage the deep thinkers and speak to the leaders of the resistance to an otherwise spoon-fed mainstream market. Earlier musical influences range in genre from favourite hip-hop artists such as Lord Finnesse, Big L, and Masta Ace, to the old classic soul including Otis Redding, Nina Simone, and Bobby Womack to name a few. Now 28, living back in the UK for the time being Prhyme Meridian is looking to take his music to a wider audience in 2014- recording for a new album with producer Mista-eFF under their collab title "Old Western Medisun" and an Acoustic collaborative effort with singer/songwriter Frankie Lorenzo aptly named "Long Story", stay tuned for Prhyme Time!

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